As is known in the art, vehicles, such as aircraft, can carry items adapted to be released from the vehicle. Prior to release, the item may be attached to the aircraft and can be connected by a communication cable, such as for programming and exchanging information. For example, systems may communicate with the item via a cable to input navigation information. However, during the release process, the cable may be damaged by excessive forces on the cable and/or cable connector.
Conventional mechanisms typically utilize a lanyard attached to a cable, which is looped over a bail bar fixed to a rack secured to the aircraft. The connector separates from the item once the tension in the lanyard reaches a predetermined amount. With the amount of slack in the lanyard required to accommodate a range of connector locations, after release the item can roll before connector separation causing damage due to an excessive pull angle on the connector. Once the item is released, the cable can cause further damage by becoming caught in the air stream and striking the rack with great force.